Trump Bump Grows Into Subscription Surge -- and Not Just for the New York Times

Newspapers, magazines, digital-only publishers and public radio companies all have reported big increases in reader support since the election.

ProPublica also has witnessed quite a spike. In January, the nonprofit investigative journalism newsroom received $104,000 in donations, up from just $4,500 in October. In the first month of the year, 12,000 donors came forward, compared with 26,000 for all of 2016.

How much of that is the Oliver Effect?

"John Oliver was a very significant part of it, but it's impossible to quantify," ProPublica president Dick Tofel said.

"I think a lot of people have reacted to the election by feeling the need to take some form of civic action. We're flattered and delighted that they would choose helping us pursue our mission of journalism in the public interest as one such response. The consequences: We're adding seven jobs to those we had planned for this year that we've already posted, with more to come."

Public radio has paved that voluntary donation path for 40 years, and it, too, is seeing new waves of support.

New York Public Radio's WNYC saw an increase in new members of 140% year over year in the three-month period between November and January. "Sustaining" pledges -- those committing to recurring donations -- grew 163% year over year, and almost 5,000 members made additional gifts, an increase of 480% over the same period the prior year. WNYC's national syndicated "On the Media" took in 10 times its level of donation in November 2016, compared with a year earlier.

And it's not just the bigger stations that are pulling in bigger bucks.

Oregon Public Broadcasting, which operates statewide with both public radio and public TV news programming, saw a year-end upsurge, putting it 72% over 2015 in giving. Further, 40% of the donors were first-time givers, up from 29% a year earlier. "The messaging went hard on journalism and mission, " OPB president and CEO Steve Bass said.

In the heartland, Minnesota Public Radio's winter pledge drive is up about 20% year over year, and its parent company's APM Reports, its investigative and documentary unit, also saw heightened giving. Partnering with WNYC, MPR News has produced the new Indivisible program.

Overall, public radio is seeing additional support from coast to coast.

"Many stations are seeing strong fundraising campaigns since the fall," said Melanie Coulson, executive director of Member Station Services for Greater Public, a public radio support organization. "People are listening and wanting to support what they trust. Traditionally, stations do well around election season, so there's always a bump, and I'm hearing it's more than usual in many markets."